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Dale had been home ailing for some time, so this was not unexpected...but as his son Barry said, "God Speed Dale to the top of the hill." Tears are welling up as I type this; Dale was a fine friend of many years and will be greatly missed. Here's some happy photos. Click to enlarge:

So sorry to report that one of our dearest Studebaker friends, Dale "Lark Parker" McPhearson of Frankfort IN, succumbed to his multiple medical issues early Saturday morning, March 24, 2018.

(I received an e-mail from his son Barry, "Son-O-Lark" here on the forum, this morning; Saturday, March 24, at 8:00 AM local time. The date stamp was 11:04 AM. Barry said his Dad passed away "this morning," so it may have been Friday morning, what with the international time stamps used on the forum. So the actual day may be corrected shortly.)

Dale had been home ailing for some time, so this was not unexpected...but as Barry said, "God Speed Dale to the top of the hill." Tears are welling up as I type this; Dale was a fine friend of many years and will be greatly missed.

Arrangements will be made with Goodwin Funeral Home in Frankfort IN. I'll post those as soon as they're available.

God Speed indeed, Dale. RIP, freind. Bob & Cari Palma

OMG. So sorry to hear this. Whenever I'm down in the dumps I go and read some of his hilarious posts.I think I'll do that right now.
RIP Lark Parker.
Condolences to the family.

So sorry to report that one of our dearest Studebaker friends, Dale "Lark Parker" McPhearson of Frankfort IN, succumbed to his multiple medical issues early Saturday morning, March 24, 2018.

(I received an e-mail from his son Barry, "Son-O-Lark" here on the forum, this morning; Saturday, March 24, at 8:00 AM local time. The date stamp was 11:04 AM. Barry said his Dad passed away "this morning," so it may have been Friday morning, what with the international time stamps used on the forum. So the actual day may be corrected shortly.)

Dale had been home ailing for some time, so this was not unexpected...but as Barry said, "God Speed Dale to the top of the hill." Tears are welling up as I type this; Dale was a fine friend of many years and will be greatly missed. Here's a happy photo of Dale (left) and Ted Harbit from "a few years ago." Click to enlarge:

Arrangements will be made with Goodwin Funeral Home in Frankfort IN. I'll post those as soon as they're available.

God Speed indeed, Dale.

RIP, freind. Bob & Cari Palma

Wow! Sad news indeed.

I never met Dale or even talked to him, but I have watched and loved his great posts for a long time. I always chuckled when I would see his Cary Grant avatar. I knew I would be reading something good very soon.

Dale McPhearson, aka- Lark Parker

I don’t know ‘bout the rest of you, but I had become a “Lark Parker fan.” I’m unsure if I ever encountered Dale at one of my forays to South Bend gatherings. When attending such events, seems that we are so rushed, we often engage in friendly, but hurried casual conversation, without introduction or retaining names in our memory.

However, here, on this forum, Dale was a dear friend. A master wordsmith, with the ability to take folks to the “proverbial woodshed,” and make them thankful for having gone there at the same time. It is said that for comedy to work, it has to be borne of truth. Dale could crack me up with hysterical laughter with the way he crafted his comments regarding any subject. Then, I would spend days contemplating, and unwrapping the insight and intellectual depth of the truths he had conveyed. Even while enduring serious physical challenges, he retained the ability to share thoughts demonstrated in this thread, http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...-Am-I-a-victim

Another posting, where he was confronting the loneliness of the passing of his wife. A serious subject, confronted in a way no Saturday Night Live comedy writer has ever demonstrated the intellectual depth to craft.

As Bob Palma said, for us, a sad day indeed. However, as the saying goes, “Our loss is Heaven’s gain.”
I am comforted by knowing my life has been enriched by Dale, and that I shared my appreciation (of him) with him. Now that he’s no longer suffering, my thoughts and prayers are for his grieving loved ones. I know their lives were enriched by his. May you be comforted by this fact.

I salute and thank you Dale, you certainly adjusted the acuity of my insight.

I don’t know ‘bout the rest of you, but I had become a “Lark Parker fan.” I’m unsure if I ever encountered Dale at one of my forays to South Bend gatherings. When attending such events, seems that we are so rushed, we often engage in friendly, but hurried casual conversation, without introduction or retaining names in our memory.

However, here, on this forum, Dale was a dear friend. A master wordsmith, with the ability to take folks to the “proverbial woodshed,” and make them thankful for having gone there at the same time. It is said that for comedy to work, it has to be borne of truth. Dale could crack me up with hysterical laughter with the way he crafted his comments regarding any subject. Then, I would spend days contemplating, and unwrapping the insight and intellectual depth of the truths he had conveyed. Even while enduring serious physical challenges, he retained the ability to share thoughts demonstrated in this thread, http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...-Am-I-a-victim

Another posting, where he was confronting the loneliness of the passing of his wife. A serious subject, confronted in a way no Saturday Night Live comedy writer has ever demonstrated the intellectual depth to craft.

As Bob Palma said, for us, a sad day indeed. However, as the saying goes, “Our loss is Heaven’s gain.”
I am comforted by knowing my life has been enriched by Dale, and that I shared my appreciation (of him) with him. Now that he’s no longer suffering, my thoughts and prayers are for his grieving loved ones. I know their lives were enriched by his. May you be comforted by this fact.

I salute and thank you Dale, you certainly adjusted the acuity of my insight.

You have perfectly captured the man, John; spot-on. BP

We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.

Ayn Rand: "You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality."

G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.

Years ago Dale wrote an article about his trip up the hill at the yearly Hill Climb in Newport, Indiana where he had garnered several record runs with his Studebakers. He described this run up the hill in his little 6 cylinder pick up truck with the lovely Daytona riding with him. It was the funniest thing I ever read and asked Dale if he still had that article and he did not. If anyone should have that please post it as I'm sure everyone would really enjoy it and get a taste of Dale's writing ability and sense of humor.

Needless to say, many of us will remember Dale well and miss him GREATLY. RIP Dale.

The following from former Indy Chapter President Chuck Kern, who also runs his white R2/Powershift Avanti at The Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race. Chuck isn't "on" the forum, so he asked that I post his condolences:

Hi Bob:
I'm down in Florida. Please post for me my regrets in the passing of Dale. He was a good friend, I could always turn to him for help while I was Indy Chapter Prez. He also did some very nice work on ol yeller's stainless.
May the Lord be with him & his family.Thanks for any help. Chuck Kern

You're welcome, Chuck. BP

We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.

Ayn Rand: "You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality."

G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.

Years ago Dale wrote an article about his trip up the hill at the yearly Hill Climb in Newport, Indiana where he had garnered several record runs with his Studebakers. He described this run up the hill in his little 6 cylinder pick up truck with the lovely Daytona riding with him. It was the funniest thing I ever read and asked Dale if he still had that article and he did not. If anyone should have that please post it as I'm sure everyone would really enjoy it and get a taste of Dale's writing ability and sense of humor.

Needless to say, many of us will remember Dale well and miss him GREATLY. RIP Dale.

26 Years Ago: Ted "Chicken Hawk" Harbit (far left) with Dale McPhearson (far right) at the 1992 SDC International Meet in Nashville TN. Next to Ted is Mary Ann Harbit and in front of Dale is his wife, Barb "The Lovely Daytona" McPhearson. In the center is Mary Ann's mother, who accompanied them on the trip.

Dale was a wonderful, gentle guy with a great mind. What a loss to us all. Our prayers to his family. Years ago, Dale helped us with preparation for the Pure Stock Drags.

One of my favorite Lark Parker scenes was his description of the giant letter "S" he said would light up when a Studebaker driver needed assistance. It was mounted on top of a tall silo in central Indiana.

What sad news. Like some others, I never met him, but always looked forward to his contributions. One of my highest honors was an email from Dale thanking me for something I had posted on the forum. I have often tried to emulate his courtesy, literacy, humility, and humor. May you have fair winds and following seas, Lark.

What sad news. Like some others, I never met him, but always looked forward to his contributions. One of my highest honors was an email from Dale thanking me for something I had posted on the forum. I have often tried to emulate his courtesy, literacy, humility, and humor. May you have fair winds and following seas, Lark.

You apparently knew that Dale's first career was The United States Navy, Skip! True. Cool beans. BP

We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.

Ayn Rand: "You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality."

G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.

When Dale started up his 'Trim Trader' journey, I asked him if he had a built up inventory of trim. He said he had a few pieces, but not a lot.
So, I collected up my then current inventory of trim pieces (a full plastic garbage can) and brought them up to Dale. I think that was around 1999, or maybe 2000.
Our 'gentleman's agreement' for all the wonderous inventory was that he would 'prep' for me two sets of the '37 Dictator nose stainless pieces, and give me an IOU for prepping one set of trim pieces for my long stagnant '61 Hawk project.
Dale did just that. After a while he sent me a box with the stunningly beautiful stainless nose trim pieces and in the box was a hand written IOU for rhe Hawk stuff.
The Coupe Express was first foisted on the Stude crowd in 2002 at South Bend IM, and after that it was constantly being tweaked.. I had a small incident where the hood strut rods had been disconnected and the hood closed on its own and those two struts dinged the stainless trim. Two teeny tiny matching dents, one on each side.
Fast forward a few years..... Charlotte, 2004.
Stude's all in the parking lot.. Joyous time... (Snurdley was there.... with his O2 tank in tow <g>)...
Anyways... Dale walks up and we exchange greetings, and he looks at me and says (in his best Lark Parker voice)
"What did you do to to dent that trim on your Coupe Express?"
I had to come clean and tell him of my being a klutz. We both laughed about him seeing his work and my efforts to wreck it..
Good times... Good memories...
RIP Dale.. Those dents will always make me think fondly of you.
That IOU has been on my desk in my office ever since. The IOU from you means more to me than the trim..
Jeff

I did not wish to post as I did not know the gentleman. I did however enjoy his humour and and his postings. If there is a heaven I hope he is there, he seemed to me to be a genuine gentleman. Perhaps that is why he chose Cary Grant as his aviator as the actor projected that image. I am truly sorry for his families loss and the loss for our club. (Encouraged to post by Bob Palma)

This was a great man who knew what was right and always stood for it- without exception. At the same time, he was the master of blending tact with humor.

Whenever I saw him we always had a great mixture of quality discussion and comedy. In his last email from March 7 he mentioned how shingles on his face ‘may affect his social life’ and recounted a fall from a while back that only injured a couple ‘non-essential’ parts (finger and head)

That’s how I’ll remember him: brilliant and comical, yet also a hero and Patriot.

Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of meeting Dale on any of my excursions back to South Bend for the International meets. But I just know we could have had some fun conversations. I've read many of his posts here on the forum and he would always put a smile on my face or, give me good laugh! He was a very entertaining man and a true Gentleman. May he rest in peace with his Sweetheart, The Lovely Daytona. And Gods Blessings go out to his family.

Sad news. Over the years I've enjoyed a great many of his posts here on our forum. He sure had the knack of crafting something humorous in such a subtle and gentlemanly way. I expect that those who knew Dale well we're lucky to have done so. RIP Lark Parker.

I am very sad to hear of Dale's passing.He was simply the best, and I will miss talking to him, his sense of humor, and his love for life. Rest In Peace Dale. Hope to someday see you in that big Studebaker parking lot in the sky. My sincerest condolences to the family.

Update: Dale's family and Goodwin Funeral Home just added a nice 9-minute photo tribute to Dale within Goodwin's Obituary and Funeral. Click on that link in this thread's opening post. After reading the obituary, scroll down to the You-Tube Memorial to Dale. Lots of Navy and Studebaker items therein.

Right at 8:02 is a photo of Team Studebaker (with Dale, of course) lined up on the Madison-Grant County Line Road on the north side of Ted Harbit's property, leaving for The Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race in either 2001 or 2002. ('Not sure which, but have narrowed it down to one of those two years. 'Best guess is 2002.) BP

We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.

Ayn Rand: "You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality."

G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.

Update: Dale's family and Goodwin Funeral Home just added a nice 9-minute photo tribute to Dale within Goodwin's Obituary and Funeral. Click on that link in this thread's opening post. After reading the obituary, scroll down to the You-Tube Memorial to Dale. Lots of Navy and Studebaker items therein.

Right at 8:02 is a photo of Team Studebaker (with Dale, of course) lined up on the Madison-Grant County Line Road on the north side of Ted Harbit's property, leaving for The Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race in either 2001 or 2002. ('Not sure which, but have narrowed it down to one of those two years. 'Best guess is 2002.) BP

Thanks for the update Bob. Certainly worth nine minutes. I now feel as if I knew him personally.

Thanks for the update Bob. Certainly worth nine minutes. I now feel as if I knew him personally.

You're welcome, Paul.

'Just got back from funeral home calling this evening (Tuesday, March 27th). 'Nice crowd of Studebaker folks; perhaps 20 all total.

The weather forecast for Dale's funeral Wednesday, March 28th sounds like it might be rainy...and it has already been raining here for two days after record snowfall and melt Saturday and Sunday, so theroads are a wet mess with some salt residue still being washed away. Hence, it's doubtful there will be many Studes at the funeral. BP

We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.

Ayn Rand: "You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality."

G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.